Work in Progress
by Yokai Lady Hana
Summary: I decided to give writing my own style of vampire novel a shot. It's still a work in progress, but I hope to make it a sort of Gothic romance. I'm still fairly new to writing so feedback will be appreciated.
1. Intro

Hannah sat, staring blankly, into the frost nipped windows of the four bland walls that she found herself yet again trapped in. The peeling stale yellow wallpaper clung barely to the walls. The small shack in the middle of all the excitement that was the boardwalk carnival. Lights flashed obscenely along the various sized walkways and rides. She wasn't quite sure why she'd decided to cover yet another shift, especially when it was as slow as it was. Because despite the fact it was early fall in the city the air was borderline frozen and the clouds threatened snow at any moments notice. No one wanted to be outside that much was clear. So she sat staring mindlessly out the fogged window trying in vain to enjoy the small amount of warmth the portable heater at her feet could muster, which wasn't much.

She breathed a sigh of annoyance before pulling the light fleece of her over sized black jacket closer to her chest. Between the crushing silence and the constant chugging of the little heater trying to keep itself going she was going stir crazy. The register in front of her could have caused a desert storm with the amount of dust on it tonight and the rusted metal chair was not doing anything for making her more comfortable. Unable to take the scenery anymore she forced herself up and out the creaking shack door. It wasn't like any customers would miss her. She was just going take a short walk to clear her mind.

At least she had made the smart decision to wear her fur lined jogger pants today she thought as she let out a snort laughing at herself. The pants she had purchased from wal-mart two years ago, which somehow still fit her to this day. She'd thought about going shopping for more current clothes but with her money struggles and no one to impress, she had lost all desire to.

The sharp chill of the wind pressing against her woke her from her daze and she urged herself forward taking in all the flashing lights and the whirring of the Ferris wheel to her right. Empty, like every other ride on the boardwalk. She blinked slowly turning to look over the obviously aged wood of the railing on the boardwalk. The waves of the ocean crashed against the railing as if to wash away her anxiety. She let out another short laugh and pushed the air blown strand of her jet black hair behind her ear. She'd thought about wearing it up, but _he'd_ always liked it down. And after spending several years of her life trying desperately to make herself perfect for a failing relationship it'd finally became a habit. She shook the thoughts from her head and started her stroll once more.

Regardless of the cold, she found herself enjoying the utter emptiness of the once crowded streets. All was calm and it somehow seemed to have the same effect on her. The sounds of the stilled machines and the rushing water. It was like the world had slowed for her and everything was waiting on her to catch up. It was strange though, the fact that she couldn't even her the drone of the other carnival staff. Come to think of it, she realized it was as if everyone had left. Her heart skipped a beat. Had she lost track of time and stayed past closing? No, there was no way, she fumbled through her over sized pocket seizing her phone and sharply clicking the side display to see the bright yellow time display of 7:30. The carnival closed at 9, so they should still be here. A slight panic rushed over her and she turned on her heels to make a b-line directly to the Ferris wheel. She walked quickly eager to prove herself wrong. There was always a crowd of carnies gathered near the entrance chatting about their trivial problems. They'd be gathered there, she was sure of it.

The sound of her soft footsteps pitter-pattered across the boardwalk and she for some reason had the feeling of panic increase. There was nothing but silence as she approached. She was sure there'd be people at least in ear shot. But nothing but the sound of her ragged breath and the sound of her own feet reached her ears.

That's when she saw it. Blood. It flooded the ground surrounding the rusted gated entrance of the family favorite ride. She froze solid, her hand shooting to her mouth to silence any fleeting sound. But that wasn't all that was there. Crouched, over a heap of what appeared to be human remains, was a bulky man his skin a sickly gray. He looked to be in his mid thirties, though from the blood that soaked his body, she couldn't tell. His jeans were torn badly from what she could see, looking as if he'd had the legs town completely off. His jacket she couldn't tell through all the carnage, but she could making out something more disturbing. He was eating the flesh of the heap. _Devouring_ it was more like it. Were those fangs tearing into the chuck of bloody flesh. She shook her head in denial. This wasn't happening, it was a dream. No, a nightmare. He was cannibalizing half of a human body.

She couldn't contain herself anymore and let out a gasp. He had been so enthralled in his feast he hadn't noticed her existence until that very second. Her eyes were wide with terror, his were enraged bloodshot. The eyes of a monster. He let out a guttural howl and time froze once more as she stood like a deer in the headlights and he leapt for her. He didn't make it however. In the midst of the still of the moment, a sharp piercing bang broke through the silence and in a bright flash of light she saw the side of the man's head splatter. His face distort as a bullet pulled through his jaw. She remained frozen as another figure stepped into the dim flickering lights. His hair was like the blood that covered the ground. Deep, crimson, pulled lightly into a half-assed bun cascading down onto the collar of his black trench coat. She could see the smirk cross his face as he stepped gingerly over the remains, as if they weren't there, completely unphased by the gore and squatted next to the cannibal grabbing up what was left of the head. He let out a soft chuckle and mumbled something before flinging the skull forcefully to the ground. Hannah let out a squeak before practically shoving her hand in her mouth. Her attempt at silence was too late. Her arm hairs stood on end and she willed her body to disappear as his head gradually turned to face her.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 ** _Some time earlier_**

One of the problems with being a mercenary was the constant stream of work available in the big city. It'd only been a matter of months since Kaden had been sent to help the renegade infestation in Saint Peters. He'd have rather stayed on the countryside taking care of the few stragglers that manifested. But the elders had insisted that his group relocate. He flicked his cigarette on the ground stomping it into the neglected wood of this sorry excuse of an amusement park. Of course no one else was here yet, as a matter of fact no one was here. He cursed softly to himself kicking the butt over the edge into the black swirl of water in front of him.

"Probably the only good thing about this hell hole" he scoffed and began his search.

They called it The Order. The group of his kind, that sought to out the bad blood, so to speak. The renegades, that had tasted human blood and decided in their weak minds that they needed more than that. Humans often called them "vampires". He couldn't understand why they did. Besides the fangs, desire for blood, and hatred for sunlight, they weren't similar at all. Hell, he wasn't even pale as that disgusting human portrayal of that Nosferatu character. And he'd spent hours at the gym every day working on the muscles that rested under the thick black coat. Most human females sought him out, as if he was the same as any actor. But the overwhelming number of renegades spawning around the area had increased over the past couple months had The Order on their toes. They couldn't risk humans knowing that their numbers were as alarmingly high as they were.

He forced his bangs from his face and strode forward. Besides him, Ward and Avery should have been there by now. Not that he'd expected any more from them. Avery spend more time in the legs of a female then anywhere else. And Ward couldn't drag himself off his computer. None of them wanted to be in this shit town searching for plague. But they sure as hell found it. They'd been tracking a reject for weeks, finally pinning him to the outskirts of the town frequenting the local carnival for prey. Rumors had spread that he had fancied an unfortunate woman here before the blood-lust corrupted his mind. Though after the fade sets into play their minds go fast. So it was only a hunch that the corrupted SOB would come here for his next meal.

The air here reeked of stale blood, so Kaden knew it was only a matter of time before he'd found the target. With or without the other two he was going to end this. Following the stench was easy enough, though judging by the trail of blood that lead his way, he couldn't prevent the causalities. He brushed his nose and scoffed again. Disgusting vermin had no sense of taste, going for whatever they found. He'd never snoop that low. Call it having standards, but he'd never feed off of anything that wasn't pure. Someone of his standing wouldn't dare. He'd been born unto his condition, be it a blessing or a curse. His family was what was considered noble. He was an only child though it had never felt that way. Avery and Ward had been there since as long as he could remember. Probably a good thing since he'd lacked any acknowledgement other than the bloodline bragging his parents had done. They hadn't cared about him at all. Moving to isolation had been his proudest moment. And being in the city had only rekindled his need for his seclusion.

The gnawing sound reached him, dragging him from his trance. The vile stench of rotten meat mixed with the musty oak that the renegades, almost caused him to gag. Within seconds he'd found his target. A tall wooden gate stood behind the ghastly blob that used to be a man. His face was buried into the neck of a helpless brunette. Her once white puffy coat did nothing to shield her from the torrent of her own blood as her jugular was ripped open. She was still alive, whimpering, grabbing helplessly at the thick arms of her attacker. It was pointless, as her cries were softening. She was already bleeding out.

"That was easier than I'd expected" he cooed mockingly shifting his weight slightly, slipping his hand past his jacket, his fingers wrapping around the grip of the Beretta resting in the holster at his waist. He'd drawn it out in the blink of an eye, aiming it with the precision that he'd mastered after years of practice. A grin had spread across his face as he slipped his finger along the trigger. He'd always enjoyed the final moments of his hunts. Or maybe it was the feeling of a victory.

"Bingo"

Somewhere in the distance there was a faint thud, somewhat similar to a closing door. The creatures head jerked sharply towards the direction of the noise. Kaden cursed lightly, immediately pulling the trigger, sending a bullet ripping straight through leg of the thing in front of him. The sound in the distance had caused him to hesitate for only a second, but had gave amply time for his target to move. Though the bullet had ripped straight clean the leg of the target, that much was clear from the howl of rage that replaced the silence. It turned to glare at Kaden. it's face covered in white veins protruding against the over stretched skin. His bloodshot eyes lacking any sign of life. They were the eyes of a walking dead man. Well, former walking dead man. It's leg had shot to the other side of the platform. But if it had a chance to feed it would without a doubt come back quickly. The creature wasted no time and bounded past the gate, leaving a trail of black blood in it's wake. Kaden cursed himself for the lapse in judgment and bolted after the trail.

He hadn't gotten very far when a strange sensation overwhelmed him. He slowed to a jog, glancing to his right at the crumbling stand to his right. The soft essence of vanilla reached his nostrils. There was a female here. He darted up to the iced over window glancing quickly to discover the room empty. There had been a female here. And she was out in the open with a monster. He broke into a sprint following the lingering aroma. He couldn't let there be another causality.

His eyes skimmed his surrounds, quickly resting upon the blinking lights of the still turning Ferris wheel. He pivoted and flung himself straight towards the towering attraction. If there was another human around they would likely head for it. He had to cut them off before the renegade found them.

He stopped abruptly, his eyes locked on the crouched terror feasting upon a fresh corpse. The once missing limb had sprouted a new. His ability to heal had already finished. He had to end this before the creature had a chance to regain it's strength of he might not be able to finish on his own. His luck tonight had been outstanding. This renegade had been new to his transformation and lacking any senses for danger. All the better for the mission. But that strange vanilla sweetness swirling in with the putrid, like a foul bouquet of Kaden's failure to save another innocence. He drew his gun with reckless abandon, squinting slightly down the front sight and fired a single shot. With a loud bang, he watched the explosion that was once a beast's face.

The silence was instant. Kayden ran his hand through his bangs, slipping the Baretta back in it's holster and tread to his conquest. A sickening irk in his stomach had stopped him from acknowledging the remains of the unlucky human. Mercenary or not, he couldn't stand the causalities of those rejects. He squatted, careful to avoid getting his black jeans any more soiled then they already were. He stared blankly into the bloody heap that was his mark. Giving a smirk at the fact that this bastard had gotten what he'd deserved

"That's for the people you killed, you fucker" with that he lobbed the skull roughly to the ground and began to stand once more. A brittle gasp to his left. He stiffened, turning calmly to look over the witness.

The girl stood, her body rigid, her eyes a clear shade of blue widened in terror as her hand latched to her mouth trying to silence the already silent. Her face was pale, probably from the shock of the spectacle, but her high cheek bones caste farther shadow making the fullness of her lips stand out even more. The wind had blown the strands of black silk that was her hair to cover her face. Her body drowned in the black fleece jacket she wore and the jogger pants she wore let Kaden know that she probably didn't care about her appearance. Not that it would matter, because it was obvious from the way her cerulean eyes practically bore through his soul, that any man would fall for her. He straightened his back, standing, and brushed some debris from his jacket. 

He spun to face her only to find that she had booked it in the other direction, running from him. His hand reached through the air as if to grab for her before cursing to himself and chasing after her.


End file.
